Friday, 4 December 2009

With revellers heading to the SECC to take in the Homecoming Show, the Classic Grand venue offered a suitable alternative in the form of emerging Motherwell five-piece The LaFontaines.

The enthusiastic group purvey hip-rock dipped in tartan paint, in keeping with the recent revival of the colloquial accent in music, and their native twist on a distinctly American concept has spliced an of-the-moment genre with conventional bar chords and catchy choruses.

They have been on the periphery of the much-coveted industry radar for a while now without ever being appropriately heralded, but interest continues to grow, and Saturday evening represented a headline show in a well-respected setting.

Peter Dickson (The X Factor Voice Bloke to you and me) booms his message of endorsement, and they arrive onstage to a rapturous reception from a healthy audience. Vocalist Kerr Okan is the focal point of their musical onslaught, and he comfortably cements a rapport with the crowd as they surge through a blistering set.

Okan, sporting a blinding yellow t-shirt, verbalises his contempt for contemporary life and is utterly believable as he spouts his candid views. Kudos is immeasurably added, however, in the accessibility of the songs; the remaining quartet ably builds songs around his tirades, ensuring that that they could be streamlined into the popular consciousness with relative ease.

‘Superstar’ and ‘Vulcan’ are particular standouts, but the performance and outlook in general is impressive – it would be easy for this Frankenstein approach to music to be sodden in familiar clichés, however it sounds fresh and inviting while maintaining a razor sharp edge.

‘Rap is just for people who can’t sing’ cries Okan, but it is the only self-deprecating lyric in what is a hugely confident show.